It’s a question more and more people are asking:
Do I need a university degree—or can I just learn everything online?

When influential voices like Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff say a college degree isn’t essential for success, it’s tempting to think that higher education is outdated. Stories of college dropouts-turned-billionaires like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, or Mark Zuckerberg reinforce this idea. In a world flooded with online courses, YouTube tutorials, and bootcamps, it feels like skipping college might be the smarter move.

But is that true for most people?

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The Short Answer: No, You Don’t Need a Degree to Succeed… But It Depends

You can absolutely build a successful career without a college degree. There are countless self-taught professionals thriving in tech, design, digital marketing, trades, and entrepreneurship. The rise of online learning platforms like Coursera, edX, Udemy, and YouTube has democratized access to knowledge.

But the real question is more nuanced:

Are your long-term goals better served by earning a degree—or by gaining skills in alternative ways?

Education Still Pays—Statistically Speaking

According to the OECD’s Education at a Glance 2024, education continues to offer a strong economic return:

• Workers with tertiary education earn on average 56% more than those with only upper secondary education.
• Those with upper secondary education earn 18% more than individuals without it.

This is what economists call the “degree wage premium”—the average boost in earnings associated with higher educational attainment.

So, while you can succeed without a degree, the odds of earning more over a lifetime are higher with one.

Jobs Are Becoming More Analytical—and That Affects Skill Requirements

The modern job market is shifting. Even jobs that didn’t require much education in the past are becoming more analytical, digital, and interdisciplinary.

This trend is being accelerated by generative AI. While AI can automate some routine tasks, it also increases the value of higher-order thinking, problem-solving, and specialized knowledge—all skills often fostered in university settings.

Some Employers Are Dropping Degree Requirements—But Not All

Over the past decade, some major companies, announced they were removing degree requirements for certain roles, focusing instead on skills-based hiring.

However, in practice, some of these companies have quietly walked that back or limited it to specific jobs. For many employers, degrees still serve as a filtering tool—a convenient signal of baseline competence, especially when facing hundreds of applicants.

What About Skilled Trades and Vocational Paths?

University is not the only road to success—and for some, it’s not the best one.

In recent years, many OECD countries are facing severe labor shortages in skilled trades like:

• Electricians
• Plumbers
• HVAC technicians
• Carpenters
• CNC machinists
• Auto repair professionals

These jobs typically require vocational training, not a university degree. They often offer good wages, job stability, and faster entry into the workforce.

Planning to Work Abroad? A Degree Might Be Your Visa

For those considering international job opportunities, a university degree often becomes more than just a credential—it’s a legal requirement.
Most skilled worker visas in countries like Japan require proof of tertiary education or specific qualifications (unless you have 10 years of work experience, which, of course, is a different story).

Even if an employer is flexible, immigration policies may not be.

So, What Should You Do?

There’s no universal answer. The better question might be:

What kind of career do you want, and what are the real barriers to entry?

• If you’re aiming for medicine, law, academia, or regulated professions, then yes—you’ll need a degree (and probably more).
• If you’re targeting software development, design, or skilled trades, you might get by—or even thrive—without one.
• If you want to maximize lifetime earnings, statistics still lean toward getting a degree.
• If you’re focused on starting your own business, your skills and network may matter more than credentials.

Final Thoughts

A college degree isn’t the only path to success—but it’s still a reliable one for many careers. Regardless, if you’re not ready or willing to go to college, that doesn’t mean your future is doomed. But it does mean you’ll need a strategy, self-discipline, and a willingness to prove your skills—possibly more often than your degreed peers.

In short:
You don’t need a degree to succeed.
But for many people, a degree still improves the odds.